


Because I Want To

by bladesnflannel (orphan_account)



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: And go on a shopping spree, Canon Compliant, Domestic Fluff, Fluff, Friendship, Gen, Light Swearing, Other, Pre-Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, The Slytherins go to London, Underage Drinking
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-05
Updated: 2020-06-05
Packaged: 2021-03-04 05:01:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,297
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24548068
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/bladesnflannel
Summary: Draco had decided that just because his birthday had been boring every year after he had gone to Hogwarts, it didn’t mean that his birthday this year had to be.
Relationships: Draco Malfoy & Blaise Zabini, Draco Malfoy & Pansy Parkinson, Draco Malfoy & Pansy Parkinson & Blaise Zabini
Kudos: 18





	Because I Want To

**Author's Note:**

> Happy Birthday Draco! This one’s for you!

**June 5, 1995**

Draco had decided that just because his birthday had been boring every year after he had gone to Hogwarts, it didn’t mean that his birthday this year had to be. 

With his parents (mainly his father) tied up in Death Eater business- the quiet whispers and rumors spread around in the families of the Sacred 28 and various Purebloods that the Dark Lord was back had sent their parents away in search of more facts- Draco was stuck spending the weekend by himself in Malfoy Manor and had thought to invite several of his friends (who were likely stuck in a similar situation) to come over for a visit.

The house elves were not true company, to say in the least. They were servants and therefore, were deemed unfit company for any proper Pureblood in good social standing. House elves were especially not suitable company for the only heir of the Malfoy family.

Draco had gotten bored the day before and had owled his friends in search of company that would appeal to the other families of the 28. While he didn’t mind being in solidarity and owling his friends for company, it was in moments such as this- when he was in the depths of his boredom- when he wished he had a brother or a sister. His mother had many complications when she was pregnant with him and had miscarriages before and after his birth. The healers had told her that she could possibly die if she were to have another. With that news, Narcissa had giving up on her dream to have multiple children, cementing the fact that he would forever be an only child. 

He laughs silently to himself as he remembers his younger self running downstairs to the dining room on the mornings of his birthday, looking for the little brother or sister that he had asked for. He never got those gifts and now understood why- he would rather his mother be alive and healthy and with him than have a sibling he could potentially hate. 

An only child with an inheritance too large and vast for one person, but only his all the same. 

He had never been more happy for Pansy’s quick responses than in the moment he received her reply saying that ‘yes, she would be available the next day and would come over for his birthday.’ 

At later times, various odd hours, an owl would tap on the glass of the window of the library or his room depending on where he was at, with a response telling of their declining of his invitation or attendance the next morning at ten- anything earlier would be an assumption that the sleep and time it took to be appropriately dressed was abysmally easy (it wasn’t according to Pansy, who would spend hours in the bathroom if she could get away with it).

Draco slipped into his bed with the thought that tomorrow would be better than the previous one- the one in which he had just had a horrible time. Shivering slightly, he pulled his sheets (Egyptian cotton) up and over his shoulders. He stared at the blank white ceiling before being lulled to sleep- the manor completely silent as he slept. 

— 

Draco woke to the sunlight streaming through the curtains of his window- which had quietly been pulled back by a house elf earlier. There was a tray full of various breakfast foods and sweets sitting on his mahogany table in front of the fireplace and a glass of water sitting on the edge of his matching nightstand next to his wand. The glass has water dripping down the sides due to the condensation- dampening the wood it sits on top of. 

Reaching over, he pulls his wand off the nightstand, rubbing his fingers over the wand wood and letting the warm surge of his magic tickle his fingers before he casts a tempus. 

The “8:45” is spelled out and Draco groans slightly before shrugging and yanking himself from the embrace of his bed- which feels amazing and warm- and getting up. 

The wood beneath his feet is cold and raises the fine hairs on his legs as he stands up. The blonde snags the glass and sips at it. The water is blessedly cold and coats the dry walls of his throat and mouth. He then wanders over to the table, snatches a bagel- cinnamon- off the tray and rips a chunk off before then placing it into his mouth.

Juggling the bagel, wand, and water between his hands, he makes his way to his bathroom. Despite the cleaning charms that he’s known about since he was two, Draco would prefer to shower- he just couldn’t feel completely clean with the charms. They were poor substitutes to the actual action of cleaning oneself.

He places his wand and glass down- he had finished the bagel a minute before- on the sink and turns on the shower. Within a moment, the water is warm and he steps into the spray, water the perfect pressure and deliciously warm. 

He spends a long enough time in the spray so that his fingers are more alike to raisins than to the long phalanges. Eventually, he turns the shower off and dries himself in a fluffy dark grey towel. When he finds himself suitably dry, he summons his robe- a black silk thing that Pansy had purchased for him when she had last gone to France- and pulls it on, the smooth fabric caressing his skin. 

Draco feels refreshed and awake as he dances around the bathroom fixing his mussed up hair into a loosely gelled style, and putting a variety of creams, oils, and serums on his face and body. 

He strides back into his room dramatically simply because he can and wants to. Wand in hand, he casts another tempus- 9:30. He smiles then summons one of his favorite set of robes. 

They’re a rich navy blue with celtic runes stitched in gold thread alongside the intricate patterns embroidered along the folds. He dresses quickly and picks up a random book that he left lying on his desk. His room was tidy by the time he came back from his shower- pampering and primping giving the elves more than enough time for everything to be fixed and put back to how they should be- flawlessly neat with not even a speck of dust to be seen. 

The tray of food is still out, and serving temperature- if he’s right about the stasis charms. While he doesn’t touch the food, he places the tray on another table closer to the fireplace, since he knows that food is a very good thing and will keep one of his friends engaged if they hadn’t eaten earlier that morning because they were too busy getting ready or sleeping (namely Pansy but Draco was too much of a gentleman to call her out).

Book in hand, Draco plops himself onto the black leather chaise pushed in the corner of his room, and waits for his fireplace to erupt into green flames. Waits for his friends to gracefully emerge- as they were all well rehearsed to, being schooled in their entrances from a young age.

He reads a few pages, eyes flitting over the words on the paper, and knows that the book isn’t anything interesting. Simply a book he was rereading to pass the time. He skims over more- eyes trained on the words flowing fastly in and out of his mindseye as he processes the plot. It’s boring and with nothing significant happening. He continues to read and it’s finally starting to get interesting when his fireplace glows green. 

Pansy Parkinson steps out confidently, effortlessly, and looks around the room before her eyes find Draco dramatically sprawled out on the chaise with the book. She smiles and walks over to him saying, 

“Hello Draco, darling! Happy birthday.” Draco smiles slightly- white teeth flashing past his pink lips, places the book face down on the chaise before getting up and striding up to her before giving her a hug. 

“Thank you, Pans,” Draco says, speaking into her ear. She looks immaculate as usual. Her jet black hair cut perfectly and sharply under her jawline, purple robes flattering her body and complementing her glowing skin, hair, and eyes. 

“So how are you?” Pansy asks, eyes studying him as she steps out of his embrace and sits at his desk chair. 

“I am doin-” Draco’s response is cut off with the whoosh of the fireplace as Blaise steps out.

The Italian wizard is as well dressed as the two of them, wearing black robes with white and red trim and equipped with a broad, bright, white smile. 

“Happy birthday mate!” he exclaims as he pulls Draco into a hug. It’s brief and quick, but done with the same enthusiasm that he does anything. When he pulls away, Blaise notices Pansy and smiles at her, “Hello darling.” 

“Hello dear,” Pansy beams up at them from her seat. 

They sit down on the couch by the fireplace- it's a sleek black leather thing that is surprisingly more comfortable than it looks- engaging themselves in small talk. 

“Well, I’m afraid that you are my only company today,” Draco says abruptly, sadness seeping into his voice slightly. 

Pansy rolls her eyes, “Don’t be so dramatic, you drama queen! Anymore of us and you’d kick us out in an hour or less!” The trio laughs for a minute- probably less- before they sober up. 

“Vinny, Greg, and Millie are out of the country. And Theo is- well you know… his father,” he pauses, and the two nod. “Daphne and Davis- well I didn’t really want to invite them but I did for appearances sake. Daphne is helping her younger sister with something- she failed to mention what. And! Fortunately for me and unfortunately for Davis, she’s got a case of dragon pox.” 

There’s a long pause where they simply sit there and look at each other. It’s Pansy’s unladylike and ineloquent snort that breaks the silence before the room erupts. They all shake with laughter- Blaise has tears in his eyes, he’s laughing so hard. 

Between laughs, Blaise chokes out, “I can’t… I can’t believe that you. You would-” he dissolves into laughter then is able to compose himself enough to say, “Only you Draco… would care so much about appearances!” before laughing more full belly-laughs that shake the couch. 

When their laughter dies down, their eyes are alight with mirth and have a light flush to their cheeks. Pansy asks in a mildly amused tone, “What exactly were you planning on doing with all of us there?” 

“I… I am not really sure. But I sure as hell was bored when I asked so-”

“So you’d thought you’d invite us over to cure that boredom,” Blaise finishes. 

“Yes. Exactly. But it wasn’t just because I was bored. I mean it was but it’s not like I didn’t want to see you.”

“Awww Drakey,” Pansy swoons, overdramatically. “Getting soft on us, are you?” 

Draco scowls at the nickname she’d given him at Hogwarts and shakes his head vehemently. 

“Of course not.”

“You know what? I think he really is. Missing us and all. He’s turning into a Hufflepuff at this rate,” Blaise teases. 

“Unfortunately, I don’t think gold and black are really his color? He’d look positively dreadful in that garb. Not like he doesn’t already…” Pansy adds.

“Imagine. Draco the Hufflepuff. That has a rather nice ring to it. Like his sentimentality and-”

“Hey!” Draco exclaims. “I didn’t invite you here to make fun of me. This is my birthday, not ‘Pick-On-Draco’ day.”

Pansy and Blaise share a glance and smirk. 

“Same thing,” Blaise says, breaking eye contact with Pansy to level Draco a look. 

“But then again… every day is ‘Pick-On-Draco’ day…” Pansy trails off. 

Draco conjures a pillow and throws it at her. Then conjures another one to bash Blaise’s face with.

“Hey!” 

“Draco stop…Stop it!” 

—

The pillow fight lasted a while longer- it had escalated to a full out war complete with pillow forts- but eventually died down. 

“So now what?” Blaise had asked, mouth full of croissant. Draco shrugs, perfectly content in the company of his two closest friends.

“I could- um,” Pansy speaks up, and the two boys’ eyes dart to her. 

“Could what, Pans?” Draco asks curiously, eager to hear her suggestion.

“Well it’s only if you guys want to… We could go to London. Muggle London,” the witch finishes in a breath. 

“I um… sure,” Draco says, frowning slightly, confused at the idea.

“Really?”

“Yeah. Sure. It’s something to do right?” 

“Alright then. I’ll have to umm.. transfigure your robes into something more-”

“Muggle,” Blaise interrupts. “That’s fine with me.”

“Alright Pans, but you better not mess these up. I actually like these,” Draco warns. 

“You like all of your robes. And I won’t promise. Just hold still,” Pansy says, pulling out her wand from the hollister hidden in her sleeves. While she waves her wand in careful, precise movements, she adds,

“Now I’ve been a few times, and have a good idea on what it'll be like for you two first-timers. Just don’t stare at people or act all “elitist”- the muggles don’t like people like that. Oh, and money! I’ve converted some of our money to theirs at Gringotts- my mother and father don’t really care to keep tabs on what I spend my galleons on. So basically a galleon is the equivalent to…” 

She finished explaining the monetary system and transfiguring their robes then her own. The trousers and shirt that both he and Blaise now wear are tighter in places robes wouldn’t be but they look...smart, Draco decides as he looks at his appearance in the mirror.

Thank Merlin they aren’t matching, the denim of his trousers are black and his jumper is a jewel green- Blaise is dressed in light blue denim trousers that is paired with a black jumper. Pansy is dressed in a similar shirt- but cut in a more feminine manner- that’s black and a tan skirt.

“We look good… and we’ll fit in. It’s not the best but definitely better than my first attempts,” Pansy finishes with a slight smile on her lips before frowning slightly. 

“Are you sure you want to? It’s totally okay if you don’t and-” 

“Pansy,” Draco interrupts, waving a hand to silence her, brushing her shoulder in what he hopes is comforting. “I said yes because I want to. Okay. Because I want to go.” 

Her smile is back at full force when she says, “Okay! Now let’s go! C’mon!” 

—

London is loud and busy. Draco doesn’t know what he expected exactly but it wasn’t this. When Pansy had told them not to stare, he hadn’t thought much of it but now? Now that he’s there, Draco’s finding it a lot harder to not not stare. It’s only because of the teachings that his mother had instilled in him that he’s able to control those urges. 

There is so much happening all in one area- similar to Diagon Alley but at the same time, the two places are not at all alike. Muggle automobiles hum and rush by the sidewalks. Storefront windows advertise a variety of products they offer- something Draco is relieved to see because it’s at least something he recognizes- but most of the products are things Draco could never have thought to have seen. 

When he meets Blaise’s eyes, he can tell that he’s not the only one feeling that way; Pansy watches the two boys look around curiously. She tugs at their arms,

“C’mon let’s go. We have places to go!” 

—

Pansy leads them through a variety of streets. She grips one of Blaise’s hand in her left and Draco’s hand in her right- tugging them along the sidewalk and through the crowd, ushering them forward when they fall behind- their eyes too caught up in the multitude of colors and lights of the London streets.

The streets are loud and boisterous and flooded with people. Almost every bit of sidewalk is taken up as they walk, trying to get to their location while also trying to get to the stores Pansy wants to go to. 

She leads them into a quieter shop, displays placed around the room. They spend a considerable time there, Draco and Blaise are content to simply wander the room, Pansy shops, looking at handbags and various pieces of expensive jewelry- she leaves with two handbags and a gold and diamond necklace. 

Pansy discretely shrinks her purchases and places them in her pocket. At Draco’s inquisitive look she says,

“I wouldn’t want to get my Louis Vouton purchases stolen, would I?” Draco only quirks a brow and shakes his head. No, he supposes. They wouldn’t want that. She would be livid and an angry Pansy wasn’t fun to be around. 

She drags them to another store, about a block away. It’s just as nice as the first, if not a little less flashy. But Draco can tell quality and he knows that the merchandise is just as good as the first. When they enter, Pansy remarks that they will be trying on clothes. Blaise groans quietly and Draco grimaces. While he didn’t hate shopping with her, trying on clothes wasn’t something he wanted to do. Especially because he isn’t sure what looks good and what doesn’t. 

Draco and Blaise follow her to the section with more masculine looking clothing and stare at her when she starts going through the racks, looking at the article of clothing and either Draco or Blaise. 

“She’s probably going to tell us to try on the whole store,” Blaise whispers to him, eyes still trained on Pansy.

“I can’t say that I would be surprised if she did,” Draco responds. 

Fortunately for the two boys, Pansy does not give them the command to try on the entire store. Only half of it. With them showing her the entire get up. 

The woman who had attended to them earlier when they first entered the premises was kind enough to set up two dressing rooms for them per Pansy’s request. When she had stopped looking, the lady led Blaise and himself to the opulent, yet small back area with dressing rooms. where hell would begin as they tried on clothes.

The clothes were weird. They weren’t a bad sort of weird. But they were definitely different. But Pansy liked pretty much everything they tried on so… Well, Draco didn’t really know what that meant. He couldn’t very well own clothes from a muggle store and bring them back to the manor. Not with his father there. On top of the clothes, she had them try on several pairs of shoes. 

Draco actually liked the shoes that he did try on and Pansy set the ones he liked best to the side. They were a black, soft leather shoe that felt comfortable- as comfortable as the ones he was currently wearing and those were dragon leather.

An hour passed. Then two. And then their time there was done, wrapped up when Pansy purchased a pair of shoes- the ones Draco had liked so much, a beautiful silk tie for Blaise, and a pair of sunglasses for herself. 

It was early in the evening when they finished their spree around London. Pansy had gone into every other shop and boutique just for the sake of going to them- pretending to be interested in some odd bauble just to prolong their time spent in the city. (Throughout their time there, Draco- at several points in time- had thought they were being followed. But the thought was so reminiscent of his days at Hogwarts that he paid it no mind and continued to accompany Pansy and Blaise without a word.) Not all of the stores they went through were nearly as pricey as their first two destinations but there was always something for Pansy to throw money on. 

—

When the trio apparated away from London and back to the Manor, Draco had never felt more dead on his feet and collapsed on the ground in front of the fireplace. Blaise followed Draco’s example, dropping down next to his friend and Pansy, dropped her bags and walked the few extra steps to the couch before collapsing on top of it. 

“Welp. That was really fun, Pans. But could I… get my robes back?” Draco asked, voice muffled by the floor.

Pansy said something- a bitten off curse, most likely- then grabbed her wand, flicked it a few times, and then all of their clothes became the fine wizarding robes from earlier.

“Thanks,” Blaise mumbled into the floor. Draco voiced his thanks and continued to lay down on the floor for a few more minutes before pushing himself up into a sitting position. 

“Do you wanna try Firewhiskey?” Draco asked, eyes alight with mischief- the rational side of his brain switched off. 

“I...sure, whatever Draco,” Pansy drawled from the couch. Snapping his fingers, Draco summoned a house elf.

“Young Master Malfoy has summoned Mipsey. What is it that the young master be needing?” The house elf- Mipsey- asked in a croak. 

“Mipsey… could you take a bottle of Firewhiskey from Father’s stash? One of the nicer bottles.” 

“Mipsey will get it for the young master,” Mipsey said before, disappearing and reappearing in two loud snaps. The elf held the bottle up to Draco, which he took.

“This will do fine, you’re dismissed Mipsey. Thank you,” Draco said to the house elf dismissively. The elf’s eyes widened before the thing bowed and disappeared, once again with a snap.

Draco opened the bottle and huffed out, “Happy birthday to me.” Before he took a swig, the liquid burning his throat and causing him to cough violently after. 

Blaise laughed and grabbed the bottle, “I don’t think that’ll happen to me!” 

(It did. He tried to suppress it but it eventually came out.) 

Pansy walked over and plopped down on the floor. 

“Oh you two…” She took a drink from the bottle- she didn’t even react- and passed it along back to Draco. “You’re both weak.”

They went around pretending to be drinking sips of the liquid and engaging in small talk and gossip. 

“Why did I even want to be drinking this? It burns like hell and tastes awful,” Draco asks to no one in particular. 

A laugh bubbles out of Pansy, “‘Cuz you’re tryin’ to piss off daddy dearest but you just don’t know it yet.” 

Blaise chokes on his saliva, erupting into laughter. 

“Maybe you’re right. I don’ t know, he’d probably disown me after everything that happened today. What’s one more thing on top of that?”

“Good point, mate. Really good point.” 

— 

They spend the night in a candle lit glow on Draco’s floor, drinking butterbeers (Firewhiskey is nasty and just not worth trying to drink), laughing at each other’s antics, reminiscing over the past school years, and looking to what’s to come.

“Thanks for today,” Draco whispers to the quiet room, Blaise and Pansy starting to fall asleep. 

“Hmm,” Blaise mutters an incorrigible sentence. 

“He means you’re welcome,” Pansy slurs. “Right Blaise-y?”

“Don’t call me that,” the Italian whines. “But yes. I meant that. Can I go to sleep now?”

“Not until after you give me a hug, you oaf,” Draco comments. 

“Fine, ya Hufflepuff.” 

“Hey! I want a hug too!” Pansy whines from the couch. 

“Get over here then,” Draco says, smiling toothily at her. 

The trio embraces each other for a long time- they don’t really know how long or short it lasts. Time stands still for a moment and feelings of happiness and warmth flood Draco’s chest, the loneliness from earlier melting away like snow in the heat of the sun. 

“Thank you,” Draco murmurs again before he presses a kiss to Pansy’s forehead and Blaise’s cheek. “It means a lot.” 

“Well of course we’d be here!” Pansy whispers emphatically. “It’s your birthday. We wouldn’t miss it, darling.”

“Mhmm. What she said,” Blasie says with a bright smile on his face.

They all end up sprawled in Draco’s bed, sleep finding its way easily to the tired group of friends. It’s a mess of limbs and they’re wrapped up in each other in ways that should be completely uncomfortable but it’s not. 

If anything, they’re more comfortable knowing that there’s someone there and completely happy to bask in their friend’s warmth and the happiness within them. 

—

**June 6, 1995**

It’s early in the morning when Narcissa and Lucius get back from their meeting with other previous followers of the Dark Lord. She’s disappointed that she missed her son’s birthday and has been thinking more on ways to make it up to Draco, rather than the monster who dare call himself a lord and superior to them- the half blood, vain but calculating in his actions. 

With Lucius leaving to go to his study- to send a coded message, no doubt, Narcissa walks up the staircase, quietly so not to disturb the house’s silence. She travels down several of the many hallways, to Draco’s room. It’s quiet and dark and she pushes the door open to check on her son. 

Only, it’s not just her son who she finds in his bed- his close, childhood friends are there too. She smiles slightly at the scene, and closes the door quietly, knowing that while she might not have been there on his birthday (a fact that she resents with her entire being), her son was taken care of on his special day by people who cared about him just as much as she did.

**Author's Note:**

> (The person in the crowd is the one and only, Hermione Granger.) Thank you for reading!  
> -J


End file.
